Reporter’s Notebook: Getting Passed by an ‘Apprentice’

Stephanie Krikorianis a contributor toWSJ.com. Since her first attempt to run the ING New York City Marathon was cut short last year by superstorm Sandy, she will chronicle her second try with occasional posts here.

I have a long list of irrational fears, but the one that keeps me up at night at the moment is marathon related. I am terrified that I’m going to reach the 16-mile mark, the wheels will fall off, I’ll slow to a crawl, and the streets will re-open as a marathon sweep truck that’s been on my tail following me passes me by.

Now, I have to worry Bill Rancic will pass me too.

Mr. Rancic, the original winner of NBC’s The Apprentice and a TV personality, is starting the marathon dead last, after everyone else has already left the gate. For every athlete he passes, Timex will donate $1 to his wife Giuliani Rancic’s charity, Fab-U-Wish. The charity grants wishes to women battling breast and ovarian cancer.

Mr. Rancic and I commiserated about the massive time commitment needed to train, and our huge post-run appetites. “I’m worried I’m going to become obese I’m eating so much,” Rancic joked.

Unlike me, however, Mr. Rancic has already completed two marathons, though this time round, his training has been very different.

“It’s my first marathon in over 12 years,” he said during our interview. “I’m 42 now. It’s a whole different ball game this time. I have a baby in the house, I get no sleep. It’s much more challenging than I remember it being.”

Still, Mr. Rancic hopes to pass at least 25,000 people and best the time of runners who have partnered with Timex before him. Amani Toomer, former NFL wide receiver, finished the New York Marathon in 2010 in 4:13:45. Jennie Finch, Olympic softball player, finished in 4:05:26 in 2011. JR Martinez trained last year before the race was cancelled.

Mr. Rancic has a strategy to ensure he “hovers around the 4-hour mark.” He said, “I’m going to pace myself early on. If I can do that I’ll be in good shape,” though he was by no means arrogant or over-confident about his quest. “As I get older, things are breaking down. My shins hurt. I got plantar fasciitis. I’m feeling pain I never felt before.”

I can relate, though I’ll be thrilled when Mr. Rancic passes me by, which I told him he would. As for that imaginary sweep truck, I went straight to the source to figure out how legitimate of a fear I have been harboring.

Peter Ciaccia, NYRR Executive Vice President of the New York Road Runners, oversees all of the technical elements of the marathon. He told me there’s not exactly a sweep truck, but rather four sweep buses parked throughout the course. The last one is at the 20-mile mark to pick up those who can’t finish. It seems if I haven’t reached that point by 5 p.m., my nightmare has the potential to become a reality. “You can keep going, but there’s an anticipated street reopening at 5 p.m.,” Mr. Ciaccia said. That gives runners essentially seven hours to get the job done, depending on their wave start time.

Mr. Ciacca told me that even once the streets do re-open, his team will be there to support runners, making sure anyone still going, even in the dark that night, will have water and be assisted in crossing the finish. “We’ve had instances where we’ve brought individuals across the finish line close to midnight,” he said.

It’s that kind of get-it-done spirit I’m feeling in the streets of New York right about now, as I see hoards of people in the park and on the Westside Highway so loaded down with water around their waists, you know they are in double-digit training mode, like me. And it’s that same thing I felt last year, when New Yorkers became a part of the support team. On a recent 16-mile venture, a hot dog vendor, aware I was overheating as I stopped for water, kindly filled my cap with ice cubes. I popped the hat and cubes back on my head, cooled right down, and knocked out the remaining mileage for the day.

I’m looking forward to that same spirit and momentum to help me beat the street closures on race day.